Hinged last



F. W. STUART Dec. 10, 1935.

Filed April 9, 1934 @6370 may;

Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HINGED LAST Fred W.Stuart, Beverly, Mass, assignor to Maxwell A. Stuart, Beverly, Mass.

Application April 9, 1934, Serial No. 719,664

2 Claims. (Cl. 12-136) This invention relates to hinged lasts and its[4. It is also provided with a forwardly projectobject is to provide alast of this type which shall ing curved hinge element It which, it willbe be rigidly supported in expanded position by a understood, extendsfor the full width of the heel metallic link against heavy pressureexerted part. The toe part I8 is provided with a correupon the treadface of the shank of the last in spondingly shaped concave socket 20interfitting various shoemaking operations, such, for examwith thesurface of the hinge element It. This ple, as sole leveling. I havediscovered that a link hinge connection between the two parts of the maybe secured in the heel part of the last so last permits relative pivotalmovement thereof that it will swing through a limited arc, correabout afixed axis coinciding with the center of 1c sponding to the collapsingmovement of the last, curvature of the interfitting faces. The hinge l0and be positively arrested in both of its limiting element I6 of theheel part is provided with a positions by cooperating anchor pins, sothat the transverse anchor pin hole at this center of curvlink acts as arigid strut or cantilever beam for ature. When the last is in expandedposition, the support of the toe part of the last. Pressure the treadsurface of the heel part and the tread on the tread face of the toe partof the last may surface of the toe part coincide, as do the lower 15thus be resisted as a longitudinal stress in the edges of these twoparts, as shown in Fig. 1, link and a shearing stress upon the anchorpins, and when the last is moved into collapsed posiinstead of tendingto break down cooperating tion these edges are separated, as shown inFig. 4. wooden faces or pull out wood screws from hinge The adjacentfaces of the wheel and toe parts parts. It will thus be seen that by theconstrucof the last are slotted or grooved in registration 20 tion of myinvention I am enabled rigidly to with each other to receive a metalliclink 22 support the two parts of the last in the relative which holdsthem together while permitting the position which they assume either inexpanding pivotal movement already explained. The link 22 or incollapsing the last. is provided with an intermediate transverse slot 25Preferably and as herein shown, the connect- 24 which is located in linewith the axis of move- 50 ing link of my improved last is provided witha ment of the last parts and through which passes spring element whichtends at all times to pull an anchor pin 32 which is set in the heelpart the last parts forcibly toward each other, thus H] of the last. Atits rear end the link 22 is tending to take up wear which may developover provided with an open ended slot 26, the inner an extended periodof use and at the same time end of which forms a hole for the receptionof 30 to set up and maintain a degree of frictional a second anchor pin3|] which extends through engagement between the two parts of the lastthe heel part in a position at the rear of the sufficient entirely toobviate accidental displaceanchor pin 32. The slot 26 is enlarged at itsouter ment thereof and to hold the parts in either exend and providedwith oppositely disposed re- 35 panded or collapsed condition, asdesired by the oesses which constitute a socket for a plurality 35workman. of transverse spring leaves 28. These are piled These and otherfeatures of the invention will up in superposed relation, or in a pack,and be best understood and appreciated from the folslipped transverselyinto the socket in the link 22 lowing description of a preferredembodiment thus provided. They close the inner end of the thereof,selected for purposes of illustration and slot 26, thus forming aholefor the reception of 40 shown in the accompanying drawing, in which theanchor pin 30, and they are free to be bowed Fig. 1 is a view of thelast in side elevation with rearwardly into the open end of the slot 26by portions broken away to expose the hinge conthe pressure of theanchor pin 30. At its forstruction; ward end the link 22 is connected tothe toe part Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of [8 of thelast by an anchor pin 34. 45 Fig. 1; It will thus be seen that the link22 is pivotally Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the conconnectedadjacent to its opposite ends by the necting link; anchor pins 3|] and34 to the heel and toe parts Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing thehinge respectively of the last. In all positions of these parts in thecollapsed position of the last; and parts, the spring leaves 28 aremaintained under 50 Fig. 5 is a similar view showing an intermediatestress and tend, therefore, powerfully to pull the position of the lastparts. two parts of the last toward each other, that is,

The heel part I0 of the last is herein shown the spring leaves 28 reactagainst the anchor pin as provided with the usual comb plate l2, of 30to pull the anchor pin 34 rearwardly. The link fibre or the like, andthe usual metal heel plate thus acts to maintain at all times anappreciable 55 in the shoemaking process and this pressure tends tobreak the back of the last about the tread face edges as a fulcrum. Itwill be seen that such other words, the leveling pressure on the shank"of the last tends to separate the pins 34 and 32 but this separatingmovement is positively resisted in the link 22 by the engagement of thepin 32 with the side wall of the slot 24.

There is a special relationship between the end of the transverse slot34 and the anchor lock pin 32 when the last is in expanded position. Ingeneral use it sometimes happens that the meeting edges of the twoportionsof the last at the tread face become battered or upset in use.As herein shown, the end of the slot 24 lies just far enough beyond thepin 32 in the normal expanded position of the last to actas areinforcement or as a positive limit stop in case any such deformationof these meeting edges should occur. This action of the anchor lock pinin cooperation with the end of the slot 24 is in addition to itsfunction already explained in bearing against the side wall of the slotso that the forward portion of the link acts as a solidinextensibleconnection resisting movement of the last parts in adirection to break the back of the last.

' Ithas been explained that the spring leaves 28 are maintained at alltimes under tension. It will be observed that the position of maximumtension in the spring leaves corresponds to the position of the lastparts shown in Fig. 5, wherein the three anchor pins are arranged in'astraight line. In this position there is the maximum distance betweenthe anchor pins 30 and 34. k This distance decreases slightly as theforepart is moved either into expanded position, as shown in Fig. 1, orcollapsed position, as shown in Fig. 4.

The natural tendency of the springs is, therefore, to maintain the lastin one condition or the other, which is very desirable from thestandpoint of the manufacturer.

My improved last may be assembled with great accuracy and convenience inmanufacture. Having assembled the spring leaves 28 in the link 22, thelatter is slipped into its groove or slot in the parts of the last andthen the anchor pins 30, 32 and 34, which, as shown in Fig. 2, areprovided with taper ends, are driven into place. In this operation thespring leaves 28 are deflected, as already explained, the frictionalengagement of the last parts is established and the curved faces of thelast parts are maintained at all times under continuous and substantialpressure of engagement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. An improved last comprising toe and heel parts having cooperatingcurved faces shaped to permit said parts to swing on each other, and a.metal connecting link having a longitudinal slot in one end and acircular hole in the other, a

' pack of superposed spring leaves located in the link and extendingtransversely across the outer end of said longitudinal slot, and a pinhaving a taper end which has been forced through one part of the lastand said slot to flex said pack as a whole and maintain the leavesthereof flexed at all times, thereby holding the curved faces of thelast parts under continuous and substantial pressure.

2. An improved last comprising fore and rear the last and the slot toflex said pack as a whole 45 and maintain the leaves thereof flexed atall times, thereby holding the curved faces of the last parts undercontinuous and substantial pressure in all positions thereof.

FRED W. STUART.

